Atomic Rooster was formed by former Crazy World Of Arthur Brown members Vincent Crane (organ, piano, keyboards) and Carl Palmer (drums) and recorded their eponymous debut album in 1970 with Nick Graham (bass, vocals & flute), but the band soon splintered with Graham leaving to join Skin Alley. He was replaced by John Du Cann on guitar and vocals.

When Carl Palmer departed to join Emerson Lake And Palmer, Paul Hammond replaced him. This line-up recorded the successful hit singles ‘Tomorrow Night’ and ‘Devil’s Answer’ and the album ‘Death Walks Behind You’ in 1971.

Later that year, vocalist Pete French was added to the line-up for the album ‘In Hearing Of Atomic Rooster’. In 1972, after the departure of John Du Cann and Paul Hammond, new guitarist Steve Bolton, drummer Ric Parnell and vocalist Chris Farlowe joined the band.

Following a further two albums, the band dissolved. In 1980 Crane, Du Cann and Hammond came together once more following the release of a new studio album. However, by 1982 this line-up also came to an end.

Between 1970 and 1981 Atomic Rooster recorded a series of wonderful sessions for BBC Radio 1 and made two ‘In Concert’ appearances. This new 2CD set includes all of the surviving Atomic Rooster recordings in the BBC archives, including a previously unreleased performance for The John Peel Sunday Concert from January 1971, the complete ‘In Concert’ performance from July 1972 and the full session for The Friday Rock Show in November 1981. With the discovery of this previously unreleased material and all tracks newly remastered, 'Friday The 13th' is the definitive collection of Atomic Rooster BBC recordings.